Workman s time-recorder



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D. '"HEPP. WORKMANS TIME RECORDER No. 561,316. Patented June 2, 1896.

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D. HEPP.

WORKMANS TIME RECORDER .No. 561,316. Patented June 2, 1896.

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D. HEPP. WORKMANS TIME RECORDER Patented June 2, 1896.

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WORKMANS TIME RECORDER No. 561,316. Patented June 2 1896.

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WORKMANS TIME RECORDER No. 561,316. Patented June 2, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

DANIEL IIEPP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WORKMANS TIME-RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,316, dated June 2,1896. Application filed April 23, 1895- erial No. 546,859. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL HEPP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IVorkmens Time-Rec0rders,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to time-recorders, and the object thereof is to provide a time-recorder which dispenses with the use of keys which puncture the record-sheet or make an impression thereon by means of an interposed ribbon, and employ in lieu thereof a selfinking recording-key stamp, which each employee uses for recording his time, and, further, to provide an improved recording mechanism and record-sheet, by means of which a record of several days can be kept with a single sheet, and my invention involves the use of a record-sheet in which the spaces on a line with each employees name is divided into a number of parallel rows of spaces, upon which are impressed the marks indica tive of the arrival and departure of the employees, said record-sheet being applied to a rotatable and longitudinally-movable cylinder.

The invention also involves the employment of a series of rollers or cylinders where the machine is intended to record the time of a large number of employees, the number of cylinders and the capacity thereof for registration depending entirely 011 the number of the employed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specificatiomof which the accompanyin g drawings form a part, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of one of my improved time-recorders designed for two hundred employees; Fig. 2, a similar view with the front of the casing removed and certain parts being shown in section; Fig. 8, a sectional elevation on the line 00 at of Fig. 2, showing the middle cylinderin elevation; Fig. 4, a detail of the construction at the lower end of the cylinders, showing the means for vertically adjusting the cylinder and other elements-of the construction employed; Fig.

5, a transverse section showing the time-recorder key and method of its operation, together with the bell-operating devices; Fig. 6, a transverse section on the line '3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. '7, a spring-plate used in connection with the bell-operatingmechanism; Fig. 8, a cylinder marked at the ends to assist in placing the record-sheets thereon; Fig. 9, one of the record-sheets employed, and Figs. 10 and 11 an electrical attachment for ringing a bell at certain times during the day.

In the practice of my invention I employ a box or casing A, which contains the time-recording mechanism, and a clock, the dial and hands of which are visible.

IVithin the casin g A are located a series of cylinders B, each of which is mounted upon a shaft 0, on which it revolves, said shaft being supported at each end, as shown in Fig. 2, the support at the upper end consisting of a screw-threaded pivot-rod O, passing through a bracket-support C and engaging with the end of the shaft 0 by means of a pivotal cavity formed therein and provided at its upper end with cross-arms C by which the pivotal connection may be adjusted, and the lower end of the shaft being supported on a base 13, which extends across the casing and supports all the cylinders in the same manner, the lower end of the shaft being provided with a screw-threaded extension, which passes through the base-support and through a short cylinder or nut D, mounted thereon, and is provided below the base with a nut D.

The nutD rests on the base B and is screwthreaded on its outer surface and has mounted thereon a sleeve D having an annular flange D centrally thereof and an upwardlydirected flange D above the head or end (Z thereof, through which the shaft 0 passes.

Mounted on the shaft 0, below the cylinder B, is a gear-wheel B having a downwardly directed hub 13 the lower end of which is beveled, as shown at B, and this beveled surface rests upon balls 1) within the flange D forming a perfect ball-bearin g for the cylinderB.

Each of the cylinders B is connected with the gear-wheel 13 immediately below it, and through said wheel with its shaft by means of a spring-operated rod or key E, which passes through said wheel and into a perforation or hole I) in the bottom of the cylinder, and formed on the bottom of the wheel is a tubular projection E, through which the pin E also passes, provided in its lower end with a vertical slot E adapted to receive a lug or projection e, secured to the pin E, by which the said pin is held out of connection with the bottom of the cylinder when so desired, and when it is desired to lock said parts together it is only necessary to turn the pin so that the lug or projection will enter the slot E when the spring mounted on the pin will force it into the hole in the bottom of the cylinder, and it will be observed that each of the cylinders is provided at the bottom thereof with this form of key, designedfor the same purpose.

The means for setting the clock and revolving the cylinders consists of the following construction: Mounted upon the upper part 1 of the base B or on angular shoulders F, formed thereon, are gear-wheels F between each of the cylinders, which gear with the wheels B on the lower ends of the cylindershafts, and at the rear of one of these wheels is a small gear or pinion F (shown in Fig. 6,) which connects therewith and is mounted on a vertically-supported rod F provided at its upper end with a beveled gear f, which meshes with a corresponding gear f mounted on a rod f which is geared in a similar manner with the clock mechanism, these features of construction being most clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The gears B F F and the connected clocksetting devices are operated by a pinion G, mounted on a rod G, revolubly supported in shoulders or projections G between which, on the rod G, is a spring G which operates normally to keep the rod depressed and the pinion G out of connection with the gearwheel B and when it is desired to place the said pinion and gear in connection it is only necessary to press the rod upward by means of a head g, formed thereon and by which the gears are operated.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the cylinders B and clock mechanism are so connected as to revolve simultaneously, the cylinders being geared to the clock so that each will make a complete revolution every twelve hours, as will be readily understood.

The ends of the cylinders or the flanges on the heads thereof are provided with guidemarks by which to set the record-sheets, bein g preferably divided into twelve equal parts, as shown in Fig. 8, the record-sheets being applied as hereinafter described.

The sleeves D mounted on the short cylinders or nuts D, are each provided in their lower ends with vertical slots (1 adapted to receive the upper end of a spring 61', secured to the lower side of the base B, the object thereof being to prevent the sleeves casings D from revolving except when desired.

The sleeve D has marked thereon, below the milled flange D the days of the week, as

shown in Fig. 4, and the screw-thread on the nut D, on which saidsleeve is mounted, is preferably graded twenty threads to the inch, and it being understood that the cylinders B are revoluble on their shafts it will be seen that each can be vertically raised or lifted thereon by revolving the sleeves D and the object of the screw-thread on the nut D is to raise the cylinder B and the recordsheet thereon the required distance each day,which is done by giving the sleeve D one revolution.

The record-sheet shown in Fig. 9 is adapted to serve for keeping a record of six days, and

it is ruled to provide spaces M for the names of the employees and their number, the division-lines extending longitudinally across the sheet being crossed by lines which provide spaces in which each employees time is recorded, as well as spaces for recording the number of hours he has worked each day, the total for the week, price per hour, amount due him, remarks, &c.

The spaces for recording the time are divided by vertical lines M into twelve spaces or hours, corresponding with the spaces at the ends of the cylinders, and these spaces are again divided by vertical lines M each into twelve parts, each subdivision denoting five minutes, and crossing the hour-lines and subdivisions are parallel longitudinal lines M which provide on a line with each employees name a number of rows of time-spaces corresponding with the number of working days in the week. As shown in the drawings, only a portion of the sheet is provided with the smaller subdivision-lines. This record-sheet is placed upon the cylinder by turning under the part at the side of the time-recording spaces and wrapping it around the cylinder, where it is held by rubber bands or in any desired manner, care being taken to properly adjust the position thereof by means of the guide-marks on the cylinder.

The front A of the casing A is hinged at A and is provided in front of the vertical longitudinal center of each of the cylinders B with vertical slots A as shown in Fig. 6, over which is placed a vertical plate to, having a central row of perforations or apertures a, numbered to correspond with the numbers and names on the record-sheets on the cylinders B, and opposite each aperture is a number which also corresponds with the number of an employee on said sheet, the numbers on the plates being arranged on each side thereof, as shown, in order to economize the space, and through these apertures are inserted the recording-keys hereinafter described, which mark on the record-sheet as the cylinders revolve the time of the arrival and departure of each employee, and on the line with each aperture is a small perforation a adapted to be engaged by a lug 70 or projection on the key to guide and properly set the same.

The recording-key H is shown in Fig. 5, and consists of a tubular body-piece H, to

which is secured a base-plate H curved, as shown, the ends thereof being secured to the end of the body-piece H and the center of which, opposite the end of the key-shaft J, is provided with an opening H through which the end of the key-shaft passes in the operation thereof, said opening being provided with a tubular projection 72, adapted to enter the apertures a in the plate a, and secured to the outer side of the base H of the key and surrounding the projection 7b is a plate K, having a lug or projection k, adapted to enter the perforation a on the plate a and as sist in setting the key.

The key-shaft J passes through the body H and has mounted on' its outer end, between the head J thereof and the tubular body H, a helical spring J designed to keep the shaft extended, and on the inner end of the shaft is formed a character or letter, as usual in this class of devices.

Above or on the inner side of the base-plate H is formed a receptacle L for an inking-pad, and an inking roller or device L, carried by a spring-arm I is adapted to be forced into contact with the pad at each operation of the key-shaft J.

lVhen the recording-key is properly inserted in one of the apertures a in the plate a and the plunger or key-shaft depressed, the inner end of the shaft will pass through the aperture a and strike upon the record-sheet upon the cylinder beneath or behind the plate a, and when the pressure on the shaft is released the latter will return to its normal position, and in this operation the inking-roller L will pass over the face of the letter or character on the inner end of the shaft and ink the same, thus providing a self-inking recording-key.

In my recording apparatus I employ twelve of these keys or stamps, different ones being used for each day of the week, one for arrival and one for departure.

The arrival-keys may be provided with letters indicating the days of the week and the departure-keys with numbers for the same purpose, the recording-keys being preferably provided with different characters for each day of the week, for use both before and after noon, or letters may be employed with both sets of keys, and different-colored inks used to designate arrival and departure.

In the drawings a key is shown as applied, in the operation thereof, but normally all the keys will rest upon a support prepared therefor, and they will be applied by the employees as they arrive and depart.

In operation the record sheet is placed upon the cylinder, as herein described, care being taken to properly adjust the same thereon, and also to adjust the cylinders so that the first row of time-spaces adjacent to the names of the employees on the recordsheet will be in line with the row of apertures a in the plate a of the casing. The recorder is now ready for use, and the cylinders moving synchronously with the clock-movement will properly record the arrival and departure of each employee by inserting the proper key in the proper aperture.

At the end of each day, or at the beginning of a new day, the sleeve D is given one revolution which will move or raise the cylinder to a new row of time-spaces on the recordsheet, as will be readily understood.

The cylinder may be provided with any suitable means for holding the record-sheets thereon, and they may be constructed of any desired material and in any desired manner and may be covered with rubber, if preferred.

Beneath each of the vertical slots A in the cover of the casing and secured thereto, is a spring-plate 0, (shown in Fig. 7,) which is provided with projecting spring-tongues O, the outer end of which is preferably concaved as set out, as shown at o. This plate is so secured to the casing, as shown in Fig. 5, that the outer end of one of these spring-tongues is adjacent to each of the apertures a in the plate a, and just beneath it and the recordsheet on the cylinder and the plate 0 is in connection with a wire P, which is in connection with a bell R and a battery S, from which extends another wire T, which connects with the plate a.

The ends of the spring-tongues 0 lie, as will be seen, in the path of the plunger or key-shaft J, the arrangement being such that each time the key is applied and the shaft or plunger pushed through one of the apertures a it makes contact with one of the said tongues and with the plate a and completes the circuit, and an alarm is sounded, as will be readily understood.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have shown an electrical attachment for ringing a bell at different hours or predetermined times during the day in the engine-room or other places in the building where the apparatus is located for any desired purpose, such as starting or stopping the engine, to indicate the time for discharging the factory help, or beginning work, &0.

In this arrangement one end of the cylinder is provided on the circumference of its head or a flange formed thereon with a number of projections IV, which may consist of the heads of screws, and, as shown, are twelve in number, and suitably supported adjacent to the cylinder are two contact-arms IV, one of which is provided with about end adapted to contact with the projections W as the cylinder is revolved, and to be forced thereby into contact with the other arm.

Each arm is connected with a wire V which connects with an electric bell 10 through a battery w, the arrangement being one well known and readily understood, and as the cylinder revolves, the arm IV, having the bent or curved end, will be forced into contact with the upper arm IV by the projections W on the cylinder, and at each contact the circuit will be completed and the bell sounded, as is usual in this class of devices.

Of course the device may be so arranged as to ring the bell at any desired time during the day, and it may be of any preferred form of construction.

Having thus fully described my invention, its construction and operation, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination in a time-recorder as shown and described, provided with a series of plates having apertures, a casing or shaft, a cylinder carried by said shaft and vertically adjustable thereon, a short cylinder or nut screw-threaded, an extension formed on the lower end of said shaft and passing through said nut, an interiorly-screw-threaded sleeve mounted on said nut, a flange carried by said sleeve, the gear-wheel upon the cylinder-shaft supported on said sleeve, a spring-operated key-shaft, a plate attached to the end piece and openings or holes in said plate adapted to register with each other, a tubular projection and a pin or lug adapted to enter the perforation before mentioned, a clock mechanism with the casin g and a connection between said mechanism and a wheel on the shaft mounted for keying said gear on the shaft and the cylinder together, a record-sheet ruled as described, and carried upon said cylinder, an apertured plate secured on the outside of the casin g and having a vertical slot whereby the clock mechanism is geared to move synchronously, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 11th day of April, 1895.

DANIEL HEPP.

Vitnesses SEVERIN SIMANSEN, EDWARD HENDRICKSON. 

